Combined abdominal supporter and truss.



J. F. GRUFP. COMBINED ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER AND TRUSS.

APPLICATION IILBD JAN. 20. 1909.

922,859. Patented May 25, 1909.

UNITED TATE$ PATENT JOHN F. ORUFF, OF GRANSION, RHODE ISLAND.

COMBINED ABDOMINAL SUPPOBTER AND TBUSS.

Application filed January 20, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J onN F. CnUrF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cranston, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Abdominal Supporters and Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to abdominal trusses, and more especially to the combination of an abdominal supporter and a yieldingly mounted truss-pad adjustably secured thereto, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the members, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Some of the objects sought to be attained by the improvement forming the subject of the present invention are to produce a combined abdominal supporter and truss proper dapted when in use to afford the wearer a much greater degree of ease and comfort and at the same time being positively maintained in position, thereby preventing the truss-pad from slipping, chafing, &-c. By means of the improved construction the supporter and truss are capable of a wide range of adjustment whereby the truss-pad can be accurately and readily positioned with relation to various forms and locations of hernia or rupture of the abdominal viscera.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my improved combined abdominal supporter and truss, when distended. Fig. 2 represents a front view of the device or article, in enlarged scale, showing the same as it would appear when the front and back portions are lying straight or folded. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, still further enlarged, and Fig. 4 is a corresponding elevation viewed from the back or inner side.

Again referring to the drawings, A, designates my improved combined abdominal supporter and truss complete. The abdominal supporter proper or band B consists of the front portion Z2 and the rear part 1), arranged to be detachably connected together at the respective ends by means of a plurality of short elastic straps c and buckles d, in a well-known way. The said front portion 12 is made comparatively wide or high at the center so as to better adapt it for supporting the abdomen and gradually decreases in width to that of the rear part I). The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Serial No. 73,252.

band itself may be made from any suitable non-metallic material possessing flexibility and self-conforming properties, such for example as moleskin cloth or fabric.

I provide the front member 6 with one or more series of suitably svaced. transverse holes 7L, see Fig. 2, adapter to receive therethrough bolts for securing the truss-carrying plate or spring D in any desired position. it designates disks of leather employed for reinforcing the holes 7. The unused holes, as well as any other perforations which may be formed in the band, may serve as ventilators to freely permit the escape of perspiration, etc, from the body of the wearer.

The resilient or spring-plate D is made from suitable metal, as steel, and consists of a strip of thin stock, covered say with leather or otl'ierwise protected, its lower portion, (1, being bent rearwardly and having the trusspad P removably and adjustably secured thereto. he securing means shown comprises a headed pivot-bolt or pin 0 and a bolt f passing through an arc-shaped slot f formed in the plate at a point contiguous to the pivot-pin and screwed into the base of the pad. As thus constructed an ovalshaped or non-circular pad may be readily swung axially within fixed limits, thereby adapting it when in use to bear with greater directness upon the ruptured part of the wearer. To the upper end and at the rear side of the plate D is attached an enlarged cushioned button or member E, the same being removably secured to the plate by a bolt '6 which also passes through the band.

This cushioned member is adapted to bear snugly against the adjacent part of the ab dominal wall above the place of rupture.

In assembling the members of my improved abdominal supporter and truss A, the bolt t, as before stated, is passed through said button E, spring-plate D and through one of the holes 7t in the front part b of the band B. After the plate has been swung so as to properly or approximately position the pad P the former is secured in place by a second or lower bolt i; the closely spaced holes m formed in the plate in conjunction with the holes 7t disposed in the band readily permit the introduction of the last-named bolt.

In Fig. 2 the band is shown as having holes h arranged on either side of the median line thereby adapting it to be employed in double hernia cases.

By means of the straps c and buckles (Z the band B is adapted to fit and sup ort abdomens varying in circumference; tie band is also adapted to hold the plate and its pad in an adjusted position. It will be seen that the band is constructed so as to hold elastic plates varying in length, longer or shorter, as desired. In lieu of inserting the pivot-bolt i in the upper hole it may be introduced through the button E and top hole of the plate and then through any of the other holes h, thereby changing the relative arrangement of the members.

As before stated, by means of my improvement the truss can be worn with a greater degree of ease, comfort, and freedom of body movement and without any liability of the pad being accidentally displaced. In fact, the wearer when stooping or bending over causes the abdomen to press outward with somewhat increased force upon the cushioned member E, which, acting in turn as a fulcrum upon the plate D for the time being, presses the truss-pad more firmly against the rupture to .lreep the organ or parts in place.

I prefer to provide the device with a perineal strap 8, or leg-strap as it is sometimes termed, one end, 8 being secured to the lower edge of the back member I) of the abdominal band, the other end, 8 being dctachably connected to the head of the padholding bolt 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The strap when properly adjusted serves to prevent the device A from moving upward when in use and also has a tendency to keep the pad in close contact with the rupture.

I am. aware that combined abdominal sup- I porters and trusses have been devised prior to my present-invention, therefore I do not claim such former constructions broadly.

I claim as my invention 1. As an improved article of manufacture the combined abdominal supporter and truss herein described, the same consisting of an adjustable supporter or band member proper possessing flexibility and self-conforming qualities and provided with a plurality of suitably disposed reinforced perforations formed in its front portion, a one-piece spring-plate member I) detachably secured to said band, a cushioned button member E fixed to the upper portion of said plate, and a truss-pad proper secured to the lower end of the plate, substantially as described.

2. In an article of manufacture of the character described provided with a non-metallic perforated band member and means for adj usting its length, the combination therewith of the integral resilient metal strip D secured to said band, a member E disposed at the upper end of the strip adapted when in use to bear against the abdomen, a truss-pad capable of aXial adjustment secured to the lower end of said strip, and a depending perineal strap attached to the lower edge portions of said band and strap members.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. ORUFF.

Witnesses:

GEo. H. REMINGTON, HENRY B. STONE. 

